Ankeny's newest proposed elementary school will be home to kids in the rapidly growing Prairie Trail area.

The $18.9 million school will emulate the designs of Prairie Trail and Rock Creek elementaries. The school will hold students kindergaten through fifth grade, while pre-school students will attend Ankeny's centralized early education center at Terrace Elementary once it opens in 2020.

"We continue to grow and mostly at the elementary level," said Ankeny superintendent Bruce Kimpston. "If you think of a pyramid, our largest classrooms are in the lower grades, K through 5th, and smallest are at the high school level."

The site plan for Ankeny elementary #11.(Photo: Special to the Register)

Each year since 2012, more than 400 additional new faces roam Ankeny schools as the district experiences rapid growth.

For 2017-18, Ankeny's certified enrollment was around 11,548, an increase of 354 students from last year.

The bond referendum is planned for Feb. 6. The district will ask voters to approve the use of $18 million in bonds, which would require no tax increases.

"What we don’t want to do is fall behind and so we’re always looking to work with the demographer," Kimpston said. "If the population continues, Ankeny will be building additional elementaries."